Cat Articles

Hepatic lipidosis, a.k.a. “fatty liver disease,” is a serious and debilitating condition in cats. It’s caused by an overabundance of fat being moved to and deposited within a cat’s liver, which will happen when their body is otherwise “starved” for energy.

Read on to learn more about what hepatic lipidosis is, the signs to watch for, and how you can prevent your cat from suffering from fatty liver disease.

They turn their noses at their bowls for no other reason than to drive their people to an early grave or insanity — or both. If you’ve ever dealt with a cat that seemingly refuses to eat, it’s easy to feel like their only pleasure in life is to psychologically torture you and waste all of that expensive food you were sure they’d love.

And you are certainly not alone in feeling a little crazed and helpless sometimes. As for that theory about cats just being picky, it’s somewhat true, but there’s a whole lot of nuance.

What do you think about your pet's weight? Be honest. Do you think that they're an appropriate weight? Do you think they're too thin? Too heavy?

Would it surprise you to learn that nearly 50% of the dogs, and nearly 60% of the cats in America are overweight or obese? This is according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, and based upon the results of their 2009 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Study. What is perhaps even sadder, and will make the problem that much more difficult to combat, is that many owners were mistaken about their own pet’s weight.

Please do not ask emergency or other specific medical questions about your pets in the blog comments. As an online informational resource, Preventive Vet is unable to and does not provide specific medical advice or counseling. A thorough physical exam, patient history, and an established veterinary-patient-client relationship is required to provide specific medical advice. If you are worried that your pet is having an emergency or if you have specific medical questions related to your pet’s current or chronic medical conditions, please contact or visit your veterinarian, an animal-specific poison control hotline, or your local emergency veterinary care center.

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